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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29317917">mac is supposed to be watching the door</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/newlolly/pseuds/newlolly'>newlolly</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcoholism, Angst, Canon, Drama, F/F, Fluff, M/M, Multi, Self Harm, brief mention - Freeform, s14, set after s14, stereotypical</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 09:36:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,313</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29317917</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/newlolly/pseuds/newlolly</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dennis is striking out, and he’s tired. He is tired of growing old, tired of feeling the way he is. He looks in the mirror sometimes, and is disappointed, and wonders if the gray hairs are preventing him from landing a new sexual escapade. If he’s being honest with himself, he is having trouble with women again, so he’s decided, he needs to try… more better, as his obnoxious roommate would say.</p><p>And, trying “more better” comes with getting heavily intoxicated every day, until he lands a successful, sexual score.</p><p>Or, maybe, just getting so intoxicated that he does not consciously acknowledge the homosexual thoughts rampaging his brain about Mac.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dee Reynolds/Original Female Character, Mac McDonald &amp; Dennis Reynolds, Mac McDonald/Dennis Reynolds</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>mac is supposed to be watching the door</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Another IASIP work?!?! I've honestly been really obsessed with Dennis and Mac's relationship lately. I appreciate the little moments, and how... ugh. They are just perfect. My insta is kissxmekyla if anyone wants to talk. I'd love to talk some MacDennis please.</p><p>Also, this work features the same non-sense the show would, so any warning that applies to IASIP applies here. ;)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dennis is striking out, and he’s tired. He is tired of growing old, tired of feeling the way he is. He looks in the mirror sometimes, and is disappointed, and wonders if the gray hairs are preventing him from landing a new sexual escapade. If he’s being honest with himself, he is having trouble with women again, so he’s decided, he needs to try… more better, as his obnoxious roommate would say.</p><p>And, trying “more better” comes with getting heavily intoxicated every day, until he lands a successful, sexual score.</p><p>Or, maybe, just getting so intoxicated that he does not consciously acknowledge the homosexual thoughts rampaging his brain about Mac.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The night grows later, and Dennis watches intensely as a drunken man can. He is a golden god, so alcohol cannot impair his judgement, right?</p><p>Mac is supposed to be watching the god-damn door. He is a terrible security guard, and he is terrible at his ‘ocular pat downs’. He is not a good bouncer, and if they weren’t all so codependent, as Dee would fucking say, Dennis would have had Mac fired years ago. He scoffs.</p><p>The girl, who is right in front of Mac, could potentially not be 21. Dennis has a hard time reading age now a days, but she has eager, bright blue eyes, and short, ginger red hair. Her familiar face gleams of innocence, with bright, cheery cheeks. She is flushed, wide eyed, taking in the busy scene, excitedly chatting to Mac as she holds her ID up. Mac, is staring right at Dennis, ignoring her completely. Her words are falling on deaf ears.</p><p>Dennis is trying to focus on the girl, with the red hair. The girl, with bright blue eyes. She is entering the bar now. The girl, with… and why is Mac taking his shirt off? The girl, with red hair, who Mac is now trailing behind. Why is Mac walking so steadily behind this girl? Why are his pecks so hot? Why is he <em>fucking </em>shirtless?</p><p>He shakes his head. Dennis is drunk. He is absolutely plastered. He is maybe five or six shots in, two of which he took less than 20 minutes ago with Dee. He’s nursing yet another – he’s lost count - IPA beer, and hasn’t made a customer’s drink in upward an hour. The bar is bouncing with life, and the music is loud. It is some sort of Disney pop hit, and the girls on the floor are screaming and dancing.</p><p>For once in his life, he is thankful for his bird of a twin. Thankful that Dee isn’t completely plastered. Thankful she’s capable of running the bar. He’s slumped over, his arm resting on the counter. Eyes trailing both Mac and the girl.</p><p>The red hair girl approaches the bar, and so does Mac. Mac grimaces, getting closer and closer to Dennis.</p><p>“Hey ba-“ Dennis begins, his eye on the girl. She does not reply, and Dennis hears Mac’s whine instead.</p><p>_</p><p>The “Disney Channel” night was Frank’s idea.</p><p>There was only one explanation that made sense in Dennis’s head:</p><p>Frank and Charlie had spent most of their night getting high, when Charlie stumbled across some old DVD he found in a dumpster, “High School Musical.”  Thinking the movie was about being high, and music, Charlie threw it on the TV. The paint, which drugged his illiterate mind, made him think the whole fucking movie was a giant party, and Charlie was hooked on having that sort of spirit and party in their bar again. Frank, was hooked that the girls would be younger than the “40 year old hoors” he’d been “bangin in the alley.”</p><p>Dennis objected. He argued. He said it would be a lot of work. The girls would not drink beer. The girls would be all over each other.</p><p>“Objection!” Mac raised his arm. “What’s wrong with Lesbians? Are you a homophobe?”</p><p>“Yeah, Dennis, wouldn’t a charming man like you just want to be surrounded with woman?”</p><p>Dumb bird.</p><p>“Dee,” Dennis began, angry she was so rightfully calling him out. She fucking knew. His twin read him like a book. “You won’t find a young man here either. There’s no Zac Efron look alikes walking around Philadelphia.”</p><p>“I beg to differ-“</p><p>“Oh, You beg to differ? You dare use that with me?” Dennis began, his chin upwards, as Mac’s puppy dog brown eyes looked down. “I have looked all over this god damn town, and there are no decent men here that even compare to my standards, and let’s all just god damn agree, I am the golden-“</p><p>“Look, I don’t give a shit. Dennis can be the basketball player type for all I care. I’m thinking of the riches.”</p><p>Charlie nodded in agreement of the elder man.</p><p>“And the whores.” Frank sips his beer.</p><p>“I’m in,” Dee nodded.</p><p>“Why Dee? What’s in this for you? Haven’t you already fucked one 17 year old? Are you that desperate?”</p><p>Dee huffed.</p><p>“I’m also in,” Mac said, squaring his chest, looking directly at Dennis. “It sounds fun, Den.”</p><p>Dennis sighed. The scheme had been born, and they were all hooked. Disney throwback. Relive your teen years at our bar, even though none of them were young enough for these Disney memories. Zippity-Do-Fucking Dah Day.</p><p>-</p><p>The girls face is flushed. Her cheeks are round, her mouth small and pursed. She’s staring right at Dennis, and Dennis thinks that maybe, she could be pretty. She has muscular arms, which could be fun for him to tie down. He stares at her a little more. Yeah, maybe if he was straight, she would be pretty.</p><p>She’s sitting at the bar, directly in front of him.  He takes a peak again, recognizing her. He remembers, he saw her last week. Same look, same blue eyes. He does not remember much else besides her face though, and the manly, muscular arms. He hasn’t actually been to work in a week, avoiding his shifts with Mac and skittering around the very-gay feelings rising in his chest.</p><p>And then, he internally groans. He just thought of himself as gay. He slides the beer down his throat, chugging the rest.</p><p>“Dee, shot.” Dennis calls. “One for me, and one for the pretty fire in front of me.”</p><p>She smiles at him, teasing. She does not look too entertained.</p><p>Dee drops the shots. Both, straight whiskey. Dennis cheers the girl, and they take their shots in one swift motion.</p><p>“I’ll take one too bird,” Mac calls.</p><p>Why is Mac here? Why is Mac standing next to him, looking at Dennis like he’s about to die?</p><p>“I’m Dennn- Dennis”. He extends his hand and she takes it, her fingernails are painted the prettiest shade of gray. Her fingers linger over Dennis, and she laughs. Honestly, laughs.</p><p>“Heeey again.”</p><p>When she laughs, her boobs pulse up and down. Her voice deep. He acknowledges this in the back of his head, but somehow, he can’t seem to get excited over this prospect with Mac’s presence looming so nearby.</p><p>“I’m Gracie.”</p><p>“Well, Gracie, it’s your lucky night.”</p><p>“Hey Den-“</p><p>“WHAT? WHAT do you want?”</p><p>“Gracie.” Mac smiles. His whole body moves when he speaks, as if he is genuinely looking at this girl likes the best god damn angel he’s ever seen, like he’s known and met her before. “Please excuse me and my coworker for a second. We just need to talk about a… a work-related matter. He’ll be right back in your graces.”</p><p>He winks, and she snickers.</p><p>“What do you want Mac? At this moment, what could you possibly want? It’s been fucking months since I’ve tried to D.E.N.N.I.S. a chic, and this is what you do? Pull me away? I’m finally feeling like me again.”</p><p>Macs leading him away to the keg room, Macs pulling Dennis into a dark enclosed space. They near the door, and he turns to face him. Mac’s hands fall on his shoulders.</p><p>“Den-“</p><p>“Whaaaaat?”</p><p>“You are plastered. I know you… think you look great. And you do. But, I know you haven’t eaten in days, and the alcohol is working on your system. Your face is flushed and you are sweating a lot. You still look great, okay, like fantastic. But…” Dennis feels the cold back of palms press against his hot face. “Your slurring bad. The girls just being polite, she’s not interested. Let me take you home.”</p><p>Mac is… his face is so sincere, that Dennis’ face nearly melts. He stares for a few moments, trying to remember the rage, but Mac is right, Dennis is absolutely plastered. He wasn’t super interested in the girl, but if he doesn’t try now, he’ll be lost to the homophobic tendencies and uncommitted feelings Dennis refuses to acknowledge.</p><p>“No, No, No. You don’t control me Mac. At all.” <em>I’m a golden god. I’m a golden god.</em></p><p>“Yeah, but…” His eyes trail down. “Den…”</p><p>“LOOK AT ME!”</p><p>Dennis feels himself imploding. He hates this constant song and dance he plays with Mac. It always goes the same way. Mac worries about him, Mac feels like Dennis has had too much to drink, Mac feels like he is not acknowledging his feelings, Mac is gay, Mac loves Dennis… Dennis loves Mac. Dennis avoids Mac and drinks to forget.</p><p>He hacks, trying to keep the bile fluid rising in his esophagus back down. The stomach bile tastes as nasty as that thought. Isn’t he just… a little bisexual. He’s not gay.</p><p>He’s not a dick chugger.</p><p>Dennis. Reynolds. Is. Not. Gay.</p><p>He shoves Mac back, only a little, and stomps over to the girl.</p><p>-</p><p>“I just don’t understand why we’re doing this. And I do not understand why Charlie isn’t the one hanging the star shaped balloons. What do star balloons even have to fucking do with this idea?”</p><p>Dennis is ranting to Dee. They are completely alone in the bar, and Dennis does not want to miss the opportunity to slander the Disney Channel night idea. He hates it. He hates that a Tuesday night, a usual predator movie night, is being given to this shit-show idea of Frank’s that might work for one week before fading out. He hates that he is stuck with Dee, he hates that he’s not drunk, and he hates that Mac isn’t here.</p><p>Sure, this idea might work, and a bunch of sick, 21-28 year old’s desperate for some nostalgia from when they felt happy, might pour into the bar. They might send some of their parents’ money that runs deep in their pockets, and they might get rich, for a night or two, before they jump to some other scheme, or ruin this one.</p><p>Dennis is tired.</p><p>“Well, what’s got your dick in a twist?”</p><p>Her face makes that odd, bird like look, before taking a swig of a now open beer.</p><p>“I just don’t get it!”</p><p>“Is it because it’s a Tuesday?”</p><p>“What does that have to do with anything?”</p><p>“You suck Mac’s dick on Tuesdays.”</p><p>Dennis nearly turns red in the face, snagging the beer out of his god damn sister’s hands. He chugs it down, feeling the cold, crisp alcohol drop down his body. He makes a fist, and lets it go, just like the therapist had told him too. Something about controlling his rage. He does it a few times, feeling the alcohol settle in his stomach.</p><p>“I can promise you I’ve never sucked Mac’s dick.”</p><p>Dees eyebrows raise.</p><p>“Yeah, but you want too.”</p><p>There’s silence, minus the stapler Dee is using to attach a large banner to the wall. Dennis stares at her, before going to pour himself a shot.</p><p>“I haven’t had much luck with ladies lately.”</p><p>Dee is silent.</p><p>“It’s been so bad, I’ve been considering that crap show of a waitress.”</p><p>Dee squawks a laugh, and Dennis smirks.</p><p>“Yeah, your right, what a dumb idea.”</p><p>“I’m your twin dude. I know you don’t want to hear it, but I know you god damn better than anyone else on this planet. If you want Mac, what is stopping you? The boy is head over heels in love with you. The amount of time he calls my phone at 1 to 3 am asking if you’re alright when you are not home, the amount of time he’s…”</p><p>“Mac calls you?”</p><p>“Yeah, and it’s obnoxious.”</p><p>Dee untwists the vodka cap, and pours a shot for herself, and one for Dennis. Dennis takes it so quickly, praying this conversation will end.</p><p>“What else does Mac do?”</p><p>“Worry about you, constantly.”</p><p>Dennis smiles, and then bites his lip, out of worry. Dee is reading him like a book, and he can’t have that. He stands up, looking up at the sloppy banner that says “Nostalgia Night” in Dee’s ugly, cursive, handwriting.</p><p>“That looks fucking terrible, can you do anything right?”</p><p>Dee tips her beer towards him. “Cheers.”</p><p>_</p><p>The bar is starting to thin out, but the red-haired girl is still sitting at the bar. She’s nonchalantly talking to Dee, as Dee makes her yet another mixed drink. Dee is smiling, and the two are graced in such an easy way, as if they provide each other comfort.</p><p>“What’s up?” Dennis says returning, a fake smile plastered to his face.</p><p>“You bag of dicks, where have you been?”</p><p>“Mac just… Mac had a thing.”</p><p>Dee raises an eyebrow; which Dennis thinks makes her look comical. “So… Gracie… I was wondering if you had any plans tomorrow night? If I might not.. invite, yes invite you back for a drink. Yes, Let me invite you back for a drink.”</p><p>Mac is once again at the door, engrossed in a conversation with Charlie and Frank, who appears to be leaving. Frank is smiling, leaning over Mac, and tapping him on the shoulder. Mac and Charlie are pulling on jackets… just where does he think he is going?</p><p>Mac’s face is perplexed as he glances at the bar one last time, frowning.</p><p>The door shuts behind the smallest of the three men, Frank.</p><p>His face forms a frown, but then he remembers… he’s trying to forget Mac. He’s trying to D.E.N.N.I.S. this chick. He must stop watching the god damn door, where Mac is not doing his god damn job.</p><p>“Sure,” Gracie smiles. “Yeah, we can catch up here tomorrow. Have a chat.”</p><p>She smiles, and then smiles wider at Dee. “Catch ya both tomorrow night?”</p><p>Dennis ignores whatever comes next, knowing he’s drunk, Mac is gone, and he’s stuck on clean-up duty. He might as well sleep here tonight.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The next night goes the same, except now the tacky banner is shifted sideways, and the room reeks of a kool-aid they were using as a mixer. Dennis and Dee didn’t bother to clean up more than half-ass last night, and it’s pretty obvious. They have half the crowd as last night, and some of their old timer’s have asked for different, less modern tracks, and Dennis scoffs at how quickly the Disney Channel idea faded out, just like he said. So fast, in fact, and they are so slimmed out, that Charlie and Frank have plopped themselves at the bar.</p><p>He’s watching the door, looking for the red head, who he wants another chance at. Mac’s nowhere to be seen, which angers and causes Dennis’ stomach to churn.</p><p>“Someone should be watching the DOOR.”</p><p>“Nobody’s come inside in like the last hour.”</p><p>“How would you know? You aren’t even IDing people. You aren’t the security guard, you are the janitor. Where’s Mac?”</p><p>Charlie shrugs, sipping his beer. He’s on number two, which is nothing compared to Dennis and Dee. Dee is the intoxicated one tonight, passing everyone shots, which are mostly ignored</p><p>“And what’s wrong with you?”</p><p>“With me?” her voice becomes so high pitched as she stares back at dennis.</p><p>“I’m not playing clean up duty.” He’s homed in focus in on Charlie and Frank, the latter of which is counting bills from a large stack of cash.</p><p>Charlie groans, mutters something about bashing rats, and scoots off his stool.</p><p>“I’m getting trashed. Understand? And I’ll sleep in this god damn bar again if I don’t get laid tonight.”</p><p>Frank looks up from the wad of money. “Well shit, I guess your sleeping here, because Mac’s not coming to work tonight. Something about the weed- flu. Guess we smoked some bad shit last night, huh Charlie?”</p><p>“You did what?” Dennis feels the veins popping in his neck, imaging Mac being dumb enough to get high with these two degenerates. He gets mad that Mac never texted him, never muttered a word about being too hungover from his cross fade to come to work today. He feels his sister breathing down his neck.</p><p>“What does it matter? He doesn’t mean anything to you.” Her voice comes out like a hiss, and Dennis is pissed. He has not picked up his cellphone all day, since he passed out on the floor, curled up into his sister’s drunken, lifeless form, as they shivered under a sleeping bag together, too drunk for either to take themselves home.</p><p>He shutters as he opens the screen. <em>31 new messages</em>.</p><p>“Hey, I’m sorry, I just got really high because it was obvious you were mad at me, and I really don’t like it when your mad at me, Dennis, I just really love you and care about you and don’t want there to be any problems between us-“</p><p>Dennis shut the phone. 31 Messages of this crap. Why hadn’t Mac come in?</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Gracie was in the bar again. Her bright red hair was on top of head in this perfect ballerina bun, and her eyeliner was so overdone she looked like a cat. Dennis shuttered at the memory of a cat-woman. She did not look good. Her bright blue eyes were in slits, and she was high as a kite.</p><p>Oh well, he needed the D.E.N.N.I.S. system to work. He needed to get laid, and for once, shut down the rumor that he was a homosexual, and shut down his desire to fuck his own god-damn roommate.</p><p>The purple top she wore was ill fitting and didn’t show case her boobs like the other night. She had made her way onto a stool right next to Charlie, whispered something to him, and Charlie burst out laughing. Dee poured her a gin and tonic, and quickly disappeared, her face red.</p><p>“Do you know everyone?”</p><p>Dennis was trying to be polite, be flirtatious, but it was coming off as awkward, forced, and angry.</p><p>“Well, hello again.” Gracie had a smoker voice; which Dennis hadn’t noticed before. He was not as intoxicated as last night. He nursed his beer. “Where’s your girl?”</p><p>“My. Girl?!?” He spit the beer across the counter.</p><p>“NOT COOL DUDE!” Charlie yelled.</p><p>“Yeah, where’s your significant other?”</p><p>Gracie’s tone was so nonchalant that Dennis cringed. Man, this was disgusting. Significant other? Who was this woman? How… Why did she think she knew so much about him?</p><p>His face turned red, and he clenched his fist. Clench. Unclench.</p><p>Clench. Unclench.</p><p>He was nearly forty, he was a golden god, his skin was beautiful and barely showed his age. His hair was dyed perfectly by his roommate. He was amazing. Breathe.</p><p>Clench. Unclench.</p><p>“I beg your pardon, but the only woman I actively hang out with, is my sister.”</p><p>“Yaaaah.”</p><p>“It is! I have no other girls around me, you dumb bitch. I spend all my time with my roommate, for god oblivion, hence why I’m trying to seduce somebody as lowly as you.”</p><p>Charlie began looking down, holding his beer in one hand. Frank stared at them.</p><p>“Woooah, dude.” She raised her eyebrow quizzically. “You’ve been trying to seduce me? I’m gay as fuck, and your sister’s pretty hot. I’m not interested.”</p><p>Dennis slammed his beer bottle down so hard it broke, and a small shard cut his finger. The beer spilled on the floor.</p><p>“Excuse me?”</p><p>“Honestly, I’m not a stupid girl. Even if I was interested in another small penis, I’d know better, I’ve been here so many times I see how you act. Is your boyfriend waiting for you at home? Does he know your hitting on me right now? How do you think he would feel?”</p><p>“Jee whiz…”</p><p>“You do realize how close you are to losing that boy?”</p><p>“I don’t want to hear a word from you.” Dennis’s eyes traced Frank’s features, who was snickering to himself. Charlie’s eyes were trained downward, and Dennis was spiraling out of control. He stared back at this red-headed, lesbian bitch. “And… you. I’m straight, Mac is NOT my boyfriend, and could give two shit’s less what the fuck I do.”</p><p>“Okaaay, Where’s Dee?”</p><p>“Who the fuck are you?” Dennis sputters. “How do you know so much about MY friends, MY gang, MY sister?”</p><p>“Shit, you don’t know that Deandra’s been banging this bitch on the side?”</p><p>Gracie gleamed at Frank.</p><p>“Yeah, dude. It’s been a whole thing! Gracie comes around, spends the day with Dee, Mac and I get high under the bridge, sometimes Frank comes along… sometimes Gracie and Dee do too! You just sleep through the morning being drunk dude.”</p><p>Dennis drilled holes through Charlie’s head. He hated everyone right now.</p><p>“I’m not trying to hurt you, okay. I’ve talked to your boyfriend – sorry, roommate. He loves you, and yaaaah an idiot.”</p><p>“Deandra got too drunk, she’s in the keg room” Frank interrupts.</p><p>“Are you kidding me?”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Dennis sleeps on the floor of the bar again. It’s still dark, even though his phone reads 10 AM. He stretches his arms, feeling the kinks up and down his spine of sleeping on the floor. It’s worse for him than sharing the king bed with three other grown people, but he can’t complain too much.</p><p>What he does not expect, is to find Mac curled up on the other side. No sleeping bag, facing Dennis. He stares. Is he dreaming? He pokes Mac slightly.</p><p>“Bro… Bro,” his voice is deep and sleepy. Dennis’ insides do little jolts. “It’s early.”</p><p>“It’s after ten. Why are you here?”</p><p>“Dunno.”</p><p>“Mac.”</p><p>“What.”</p><p>“Why are YOU here?”</p><p>“Worried.”</p><p>Dennis sulks, Mac is impossible to talk to first thing in the morning. Mac is being impossible to speak with, and Dennis has questions. He reaches out and shakes Mac.</p><p>“Get up. Get up, get up!”</p><p>Dennis stands up, noting that Gracie and Dee are passed out at a booth together, and Dennis groans. His head is BANGING. He listens to the quiet, the slight snores, and he hears Charlie through the vents, banging the rats and doing “Charlie work” in the basement, probably high as a kite on paint thinner.</p><p>“Mac.”</p><p>“Dude, I’m getting up, calm your tits.”</p><p>“Why are you here?”</p><p>“Because you drank yourself to oblivion last night. I was worried. By the time I showed up, you couldn’t walk. You kept pushing me away, pulling me in, telling me Gracie knew something I didn’t. I don’t know what happened.”</p><p>He closes his eyes. Gracie laughing at him. A beer bottle breaking. Charlie drinking paint. People leaving out of disgust. Charlie laughing. Dennis peeved. Mac came through the door. Gracie laughed, and Dennis yelled. He yelled at Gracie. Dee hugging her. Mac hugging Dennis. Warmth on Dennis’s lips.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The crowd had mostly thinned out inside Paddy’s Pub. Dennis had broken a bottle of beer pissed, and nobody had bothered to clean it up. He was drunk, plastered after an awkward conversation, and was almost positive he had emptied a whole handle by himself. The scheme had failed. Frank was counting the money they had made, muttering.</p><p>Dee was curled up next to Gracie, a new person in Deandra’s life that brought her joy. A new individual who didn’t call her a bird and fucked Dee with fingers unlike Dee had been fucked before. She was smiling, sipping on the water Gracie had suggested, smiling. They were still at the bar, wrapped up in this awkward position, stools scooted together.</p><p>Charlie arrived from nowhere. His nose was stained a bright silver, and he held a paper cup filled with a green substance. His teeth were green, his tongue was green, he was spewing complete nonsense from his mouth. The gang didn’t acknowledge him.</p><p>“Mac’s in the house, Mac’s in the house,” a sober Mac walked through the door. His eyes fell over the crew, he smiled the warmest smile at Gracie, absolutely beaming.</p><p>He hugged Gracie’s shoulders, and she laughed. He whispered in her ear, and Gracie’s eye gleamed. He avoided Dennis’ eyes, and landed on Charlie.</p><p>Dennis dug the broken glass into his skin.</p><p>“Oh man, Really?”</p><p>“I didn’t do ANYTHING!” Charlies hand flew up in guilt. “I swear!”</p><p>“Your high as a kite!” Mac shook his head. “Den?”</p><p>Dennis took the opportunity to explode. “How do you know this bitch so well? How are you so fucking comfortable about her? She’s just… she’s ruining this! She’s ruining us!”</p><p>“I beg to differ.”</p><p>“You are SO irritating!” Dennis raged. “I fucking hate you! Beg to differ! You know NOTHING about Mac and I! This whole damn group is so insufferable!”</p><p>“Den-“</p><p>“WHAT?”</p><p>“Calm down. Let’s just go home. That’s why I’m here anyways. Frank said you flew off the handle. Let’s go home.”</p><p>Mac’s eyes lowered onto his roommate, he wrapped his arms around him, and brought his mouth close to his ear.</p><p>A soft whisper. “We can cuddle, Den. We can forget everyone and bring our bodies together and just cuddle.”</p><p>Dennis looked at Mac, his mouth curling up into a small smile. They were close, but the distance between them was closing, as his lips curled into the other’s mouth.</p><p>“You aren’t driving the Range Rover.”</p><p> </p>
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